New to MH forum, just got told I should get on Prozac

[DesertFlower]

Hi, I'm new to this forum. I've been depressed for a long time, but finally just started seeing a therapist. After a few sessions, today, she recommended I get on Prozac for a while. She's not a pill pusher, actually she has a more holistic approach. But she think it would be best. I'm so depressed that at this point I'll consider pharmaceuticals. I'm in this huge hole and I can't get out of it. I have anxiety, I have a hard time even going to work, almost constantly feel like crying.

So I'm curious to know if any of you have any experience with taking Prozac, and what you can tell me about it. This is such a new thing for me (I rarely even take aspirins) that I'd like to hear other people's experience. 

[mom0810]

Hi,

I've not had experience on Prozac, but I have taken Zoloft in the past, and it really helped me when I needed it.  My husband recently started taking Prozac, though, and all I can tell you is after 3 years of seeing him so depressed (he was laid off 3 years ago- back to work now, thank you, God), I am finally getting glimpses of my old husband back.  I've known him 20 years, and I had forgotten how happy he used to be.  He still can't tell it's working, but I heard him the other night laughing and playing with my kids, and I realized that I hadn't heard that in so long.  :)  I say, if you feel like you need to take it, please try it.  I am so happy that my husband did, and so happy that I took something when I needed it.  

[myk]

i have not taken prozac specifically but i currently take Celexa. both are in the same drug class (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) which work by increasing the available serotonin to your brain.

i suspect i've had depression for over 25 years. i'm turning 37 next week so that's a long time! i've always struggled with keeping my mood balanced and failed miserably on several occasions. i finally was diagnosed with depression and anxiety disorder in 2002, and we're thinking i might be bipolar II but we're not worrying about hypomanic episodes.

anyway, my experience with celexa (and Effexor before it) has been very favourable. without it i can't think straight. i have a thought but i can't put it into words and it gets extremely frustrating. i'm crabby all the time, i have awful headaches, sometimes my whole body aches. i feel worthless and useless and my family would be better off without me... in other words, it's pretty severe!

with medication it is possible for me to be happy. instead of spending days on end in bed, i can get dressed and on good days i can shower, brush hair, everything. i do laundry and dishes, i play with my children. it doesn't "make me happy", it makes it possible to be happy. i can usually speak clearly and if i can't find the right words i don't want to literally bang my head against the wall or pull my hair out, i simply say "sorry, i have a thought and i can't find the words." it makes a world of difference in my relationships. it makes my children happier.

i haven't had a whole lot of side effects. i've gained some weight and my sex drive is gone. it was never strong to begin with, i mean when you're not getting out of bed aside from the bathroom, you don't feel very sexy! but, the benefits far outweigh the good and i don't intend to ever give up my meds.

[MoonWillow]

Is your therapist a psychiatrist? I ask because I went for years only using a therapist and my general MD for treatment of my depression but years later after finally seeing an actual psychiatrist I learned that I am actually bipolar and that the SSRI's that I had been prescribed for years only served to make the condition worse. 

And I like my MD. She's just not qualified to diagnose psychiatric disorders. Neither is a therapist. I have also seen this trend happen with friends so my strong opinion is that the order of business should be to get a referral to a psychiatrist for an actual diagnosis. Even if the MD manages the meds after that, having the correct diagnosis will go a LONG way.

GL 

[BeautyforAshes]

Originally Posted by MoonWillow 

And I like my MD. She's just not qualified to diagnose psychiatric disorders. Neither is a therapist. I have also seen this trend happen with friends so my strong opinion is that the order of business should be to get a referral to a psychiatrist for an actual diagnosis. Even if the MD manages the meds after that, having the correct diagnosis will go a LONG way.

GL 

  Agreed.  I didn't take Prozac long enough to know if it helped or not.  If you give it some time and it doesn't seem to be doing the trick, don't be afraid to try something else.

[MsFortune]

I've been on lexapro (a different but pretty similar SSRI - it's the type of antidepressant / antianxiety med that prozac is) for a few (4?) years.  Before that I was on paxil, which is a different SSRI.

SSRI's have changed my life in ways that I could not have expected or understood before I got on them.  Literally life changing.

I don't think they should be our first go to solution for all problems, but if you have real and serious depression or anxiety they can be wonderful tools.

[LynnS6]

Originally Posted by MsFortune 

I've been on lexapro (a different but pretty similar SSRI - it's the type of antidepressant / antianxiety med that prozac is) for a few (4?) years.  Before that I was on paxil, which is a different SSRI.

SSRI's have changed my life in ways that I could not have expected or understood before I got on them.  Literally life changing.

I don't think they should be our first go to solution for all problems, but if you have real and serious depression or anxiety they can be wonderful tools.

Yep. I'm on Paxil and it got me through some huge black holes. I'm in a small hole right now, hopefully crawling out with an increase in dosage. I was prescribed Paxil by my MD, but followed up soon with a psychiatrist. There are worse things than medication, and being severely depressed and anxious is one of them, IMO.